City Adds $712,000 To Paving Item; City Council Passes Budget

City Council members said Tuesday morning they were ready to approve the first budget for Mayor Andy Berke after another $712,000 was added to the paving budget.

That goes with $1.7 million initially in the budget for paving.

The council also cut $61,000 from the request of City Auditor Stan Sewell. He had wanted to hire an additional auditor who would focus solely on matters related to the city's $250 million consent decree.

Officials said the new paving money would come from the contingency fund and from the item for replacing furniture and equipment.

The council on Tuesday night unanimously approved the budget.

Mayor Berke said afterward, “I am pleased the Council unanimously voted tonight to push our community priorities: safer streets, stronger neighborhoods, smarter students, and sounder government. Through productive conversations and many hours of hard work, we have put together a road map for the next year designed to produce the most effective results for Chattanoogans.”

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